Spike puller



April 15, 1924;

L. M. WENTLING SPIKE FULLER Filed Sept. '7. 1.922

Patented Apr. 15, 1924 UETED STATES LESTER M. WENTLING, OF FOXBURG, EENNSYLVANIA.

SPIKE FULLER.

Application filed September To (all 40710722. it may concern.

Be it known that Lnsrnn M. lVnN'rniNo, a citizen of the United States of America, rcsiding at Foxburg, in the county of Clarion and State of Pennsylvania, has invented new and useful Improvements in Spike Pullers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide an efficient tool for pulling railroad spikes and similar devices whether in the normal condition or in other words provided with ends which can be engaged by the tool or where the heads have become detached or mutilated and therefore difficult of engage ment by the puller; and more particularly to provide a tool for the purpose indicated which can be operated in the withdrawing of spikes with less effort on the part of the operator to the end that track work may be facilitated and expedited; and with these objects in view the invention consists in a construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side view of a tool embodying the invention shown in the operative position in drawing a spike.

Figure 2 is face'view of the same.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the head showing the bit in elevation.

Figure 4 is a view of the device having in connection therewith the supplemental spike clamp for use as an element of the tool in operating on spikes from which the heads have become detached or mutilated to such an extent as to prevent engagement in the ordinary way.

Figure 5 is a detail view showing the spike extractor used whereby a second pull may be exerted on the spike.

Figure 6 is a detail view showing a spike extractor in another position for assisting in extracting a spike.

The tool consists essentially of a lever 10 preferably having a goose neck bend 11 to form a rocking fulcrum 12 adapted to bear upon the tread of a railway track rail 13 or similar support within convenient distance of the spike 14 which is to be extracted, and a head 15 with which the extremity of the lever is pivotally connected and which is provided with a socket 16 for the bit 17.

In the construction illustrated the head consists of a block 15 bifurcated at one end to receive the end of the lever which is con- 7, 1922. Serial at. 586,634.

nected therewith by the pivot pin 18, and a cover plate 15 secured to the block, the socket 16 being formed in the block and being closed by said plate to retain the bit. The cover plate is secured in place by screws 19 or the equivalents thereof to permit of removal of the plate to replace or substitute the bit.

The socket 16 is provided at its inner end with an enlargement forming shoulders 16". and the bit is provided with a head 17 to fit in said enlargement, with'the outer end of the same formed to provide opposed hookshaped jaws 17 adapted to engage under the edges of a spike head in withdrawing the latter from its seat in a tie.

When the spike has been fractured or the head has been detached or mutilated to such an extent as to prevent the effective engagcment therewith of jaws 17 of the bit, the shank of the spike may be engaged by the supplemental clamp 20 having the divergently faced jaws 21 toothed or serrated at their inner sides as shown at 22 and pivoted as at 23 to a connecting plate 24. By placing the serrated faces of the jaws 21. in con tact with opposite sides of the shank of the spike and fitting the opening 25 of the hi upon the clamp at the pivoted ends of the jaws of the latter and forcing said bit toward the spike, the jaws of the clamp may be forced into effective holding engagement with the spike so that the lever of the puller may be used to extract the spike in the same manner as when the spike can be engaged directly by the hooked jaws of the bit.

Inasmuch as the headless spikes are encountered only accidentally or occasionally it is obvious that the clamp attachment mav be carried independently of the tool as an emergency feature, and that by reason of the adaptability of the lever to utilize the rail as the support for the fulcrum of the tool the rapid successive drawing of spikes may be accomplished by a single operator whereas the work of drawing the spikes usually requires the cooperation of two or three section or track hands. It will be noted that the decided goose neck bend 11 of the lever 10 may be used as a fulcrum 12 for the lever on the ball of the rail 13, as in Figure 3, or the edge of the fulcrum may rest upon the upper surface of the ball of the rail as in Figure 5. These two positions of the lever permit a double pull to be imparted upon the spike When extracting it from the tie.

In fact, the arm 11 of the goose neck bend has an extension 11 which is almost in alignment with the handle of the lever. At any rate, the extension 11 extends in the same general direction as the handle so as to permit the block 15 to lie in the position adj-aw cent the arm 11 when exerting a second pull upon the spike, as shown in Figure 5 of the drawings. Furthermore, it is obvious that the lever may be used as shown in Figure 6, with the two arms of the goose neck bend straddling the ball of the rail for the purpose of extracting the spike. It is also well understood that the present tool is not lim ited for use in extracting spikes for it is obvious that other holding devices, such as nails and the like, may be extracted. In this instance, a suitable support may be used in lieu of the rail.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and useful is 1. As an article of manufacture, a spike extractor comprising a lever provided with. a goose neck bend, one end of the lever con stituting a handle remote from the bend, one arm of the goose neck bend terminating in an extension extending in the same general direction almost in alignment with the handle, and a head provided with a bifurcation at one end stradding and being pivoted to the terminal of said extension, the other end of the head having a spike engaging bit, one arm of the goose neck bend adjacent the bend proper being engageable with the ball of a rail, whereby the arcuate edge of the goose neck bend may rock on the ball of the rail and thereby insure a continuous or second pull on the spike to entirely extract it.

2. A spike extracting tool including a lever formed with a handle at one end and a rocking goose neck bend adjacent the other end, the rocking goose neck bend at a point therebeyond merging into an end portion almost in alignment with the handle and extending in the same general direction, a head pivotally connected to the end portion and adapted to lie in the same plane with the handle upon the initial pull on the spike and substantially close to and almost in parallelism with one arm of the goose neck bend upon exerting a second pull on the spike,

said head comprising a block with one face recessed to form a socket, a cover plate for closing the socket, one end. of the socket be ing enlarged and provided with interior opposite shoulders between the ball of the enlar ed end and the lower open end of the socket, and a spike extracting bit provided with spike extracting jaws at one end and an enlarged head at the other end conforming to the contour of the enlarged end oi the socket, the head of the bit having opposite shoulders corresponding to and engaging the shoulders of the socket whereby. upon exerting a pull on the handle, the bit operates to extract the spike.

In testimony whereof he afiixes his signature.

LESTER M. lVENTLING.

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